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Last week on the blog: Reflections on a month of writing a poem every day A new book gap challenge: diverse children’s and YA mysteries In reading: Vera Brosgol’s new graphic novel, Be Prepared, is the autobiographical story of ten-year-old Vera’s brilliant idea to fit in: attend Russian summer camp. Only she doesn’t really fit…

A poem needs companions The words of writers Who traveled this path before A poem needs a question Curiosity Wonderings and discovery A poem needs space The distant view out windows Fields to wander in A poem needs light Sunshine to balance the dark Of difficult things A poem needs time A quiet introspection…

Ruby on the Outside is a middle-grade novel about Ruby, who struggles to make friends in part because she doesn’t want anyone to know about her mother, who’s been in prison since Ruby was five. The novel thoughtfully explores Ruby’s feelings about the separation from her mother and her confusion about who her mother is…

Dear George F. Cram: I wonder what makes your superior map so superior Is it the spring roller mount or the markable-kleenable material? Is it the pastel colors outlining Nebraska’s 93 counties? Your superior map pops pleases the eye Or is it superior only because it’s stamped “superior”? On your map, Nebraska history begins in…

How do you live your yoga? Breathe Inhale Exhale Notice Breathe Find Ease Accept Breathe Live how you do your yoga. Notes: I have been wanting to try a skinny poem since I discovered the form at Reflections on the Teche. A skinny is a poem of eleven lines. Lines 1 and 11 may…

Hello, Universe‘s shiny new gold sticker led me to request it from the library for the second time and this time I stuck with it. And loved it. I have no idea why it didn’t click with me a few months ago when I tried to read it, but I’m glad it didn’t because it…

Once the rust of the first couple of days is off, suddenly there are slices everywhere. I enjoy it while I can because I know it won’t last. Somewhere in the third week of the challenge, inspiration will dry up and I will have nothing to say anymore. It will feel like I never had…